Making Social VR Platforms Safer for Teenagers

Social VR platforms like VRChat and Rec Room have become popular in recent years. Many teenagers utilize these platforms to make friends and play games. Are these platforms safe for them?

In a collaboration with Elmira Deldari, Diana Freed, and Yaxing Yao we interviewed teenagers, parents, and bystanders (i.e., other social VR users) to understand the threats they are exposed to.

After conducting 23 interviews, we identified teenagers are exposed to many threats in social VR platforms, including:

• Harassment through phantom sense

• Sexual harassment through erotic role-playing

• Inappropriate content in private rooms

• Virtual grooming using avatars

• Ability-based discrimination

• Virtual physical aggression

Are you curious to know the similarities and tensions between teenagers’, parents’, and bystanders’ perspectives on the threats and learn which safety features they desire and our recommendations to make social VR platforms safer for teenagers?

I invite you to read our paper.